Wind-wave growth over a viscous liquid
J. Zhang, Andy Hector, Marc Rabaud, Frédéric Moisy
Abstract
Understanding the process of wave generation by the wind remains a formidable challenge for scientists. While the majority of research has concentrated on the air-water interface, where viscous effects are minimal, our study focuses on the influence of liquid viscosity on the development of mechanically generated waves. Using Synthetic-Schlieren measurements of wind-generated waves over silicon oils 20 and 50 times more viscous than water, we show that Miles' model, conventionally applied to water waves, also provides an accurate description of wave growth in more viscous liquids. We further explore the dependence of the maximum growth rate and critical wind velocity with the liquid viscosity.